If you are thinking of hiring an apprentice, now is the best time to follow this route. According to experts, apprenticeships offer a lot of opportunities for new candidates to pave their way for their first job and gain some experience at the same time. Similarly, employees can also enjoy a lot of benefits if they take on apprentices. In this article you will read the 7 Reasons Businesses Should Employ an Apprentice.
These days, the government provides a wide range of incentives for employers who take on apprentices. Regardless of the type of business you manage, you have many reasons to hire apprentices for your business.
During the pandemic, most of the businesses shut down across the globe. As a result, employers were not taking new apprentices as the old ones were also forced to stay indoors to protect themselves against COVID-19.
Now that things are getting back to normal, employers should get help and accept new apprentices. This is a win-win deal for both employers and apprentices. Employers can take on fresh candidates and use their talent to grow their businesses. Apprentices can gain some experience and earn some money at the same time.
So, what are some of the reasons employers should take on an apprentice? Here are exciting benefits employers can enjoy if they choose to train apprentices:
During the first quarter of 2021, the government made an announcement about new grants for businesses that decide on taking apprentices. As of today, you can get a hefty sum of £3,000 for hiring fresher apprentices regardless of their age group.
This grant was announced for employers who take on apprentices between 1st April and 30th September 2021. Adding to the announcement, employers will get this amount as well as £1,000 for hiring the services of an apprentice aged between 16 and 18.
They will get the same incentives if the apprentice is under 25 with the healthcare or education plan. Similarly, you can get these incentives even if a local authority takes care of the apprentices.
According to the official government website gov.uk, more than 80% employers were of the opinion that apprenticeships help them improve the skills of apprentices. And more than 70% stated that apprenticeships help improve the productivity of their business.
According to many research studies, the trade sector has been experiencing a skill gap. Therefore, if employers want to boost their business productivity after the pandemic, they can hire apprentices. Since the government offers a lot of incentives, employers don’t need to worry about making payments to these employees.
Apart from growing your workforce, apprenticeships can also help you benefit from the skills of fresh talent. In other words, you can fill any skill gap that your business may have. Let’s understand this phenomenon with an example.
As a plumbing business owner, if you want to offer heating services as well, you can help your staff achieve these qualifications through apprenticeship programs. Therefore, we can say that apprenticeships offer fresh opportunities for employees to improve their skills. Employers can also retain their existing workforce and enjoy improved productivity.
In any business, it is essential for employers to keep loyal and experienced staff. After all, experienced employees are an asset to any business. They serve as the backbone of all sorts of businesses.
Employers can use apprenticeship programs to train their existing employees. With this approach, they can improve staff retention for years to come. According to a recent survey, more than 70% of companies said that apprentices are more loyal compared to non-apprentices.
As an employer, you know that it costs a great deal of money to recruit new staff. As a matter of fact, it can be quite time-consuming and may involve a great deal of risk. On the other hand, if you choose to hire apprentices, you can get help from an accredited training provider.
These professionals can help you throughout the process of hiring an apprentice. At the same time, they will be training these fresh candidates so that they can achieve your desired skills and experience. In other words, apprenticeship programs can help you simplify the recruitment process.
As far as training your staff is concerned, apprenticeships are one of the most cost-effective approaches. It is true whether you want to train fresh employees or upskill your existing employees. You will receive government grants, you only need to pay a national minimum hourly wage rate of £4.30 to your apprentices.
On the other hand, the national minimum wage rate for full-time employees is much higher. Therefore, you can hire these talented individuals and still save a lot of money. Plus, the financial support from the government may reduce the cost further. So, you don’t need to worry about the cost of hiring these individuals. The benefits will be far greater than the costs you will have to pay for.
Since apprentices are required to invest 80% of their on-the-job time on training, employers can closely work with them. With this approach, they can train these individuals and improve their skills for the benefit of their business.
Apart from this, you will have peace of mind that they will follow the best practices. In other words, you can tailor their skills based on the requirements of your business.
If you are an employer and you want to improve your business productivity, we suggest that you take on an apprentice. With the help of our advisors, you can get support throughout the process of hiring apprentices. At General UK, you can check out our services and make an informed decision today.